Bread-cutting machine.



Patented Nov. ll, I902. C. J. VANN.

BREAD CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 30, 1901.) (No llodal.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 713,539. Patented Nov. ll, I902. c. J. vmm;

BREAD CUTTING MACHINE.

- (Application filed Oct. 30. 1901.)

(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 67 T V I 0 A l 4 uh a I A, I

WITNESSES: INVENTOH V zdrla ji a nn 'W ATTORNEYS STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES J. VANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BREAD-CUTTiNG MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 713,539, datedNovember 1 1, 1902.

Application filed October 30, 1901. Serial No. 80,523. (No model.)

To (til whont it may concern.-

Beit known that 1, CHARLES J.VANN, acitizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the countyofKings and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedBread-Cutting Machine, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved breadcutting machine which is simple and durable in construction, moreespecially designed for use in hotels, restaurants, boarding-houses, andthe like, and arranged to cut the slices to any desired thickness and totrim the same to a uniform shape.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out inthe claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure l is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 3 3of Fig. 1. Fig. at is a similar view of the same on the line 4 l ofFig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of one of the clamps for holdinga loaf, the section being on the line 5 5 of Fig. l; and Fig. 6 istransverse section of a modified form of the improvement.

The improved bread-cutting machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 ismounted on a suitablyconstructed table A, having legs 13 for supportingthe table the desired distance above the floor. On the table A arearranged suitable bearings for a longitudinally-extending shaft O,carrying at its forward end a knife I) for cutting a loaf into slices,and on the rear end of the said shaft is secured a handwheel E or apulley for imparting a rotary motion to the shaft 0 to cause the knife Dto swing around through a slot A in the table A and to cut the loaf fedforward over the table into slices. The loaf is held or clamped betweenclamping-plates F and F, of which the clamping-plate F is secured to andprojects transversely from a slide'G, mounted to slide longitudinally ona guideway H, carried by the table A. The other clamping-plate F is heldlongitudinally adjustable on a slide G, likewise mounted to slidelongitudinally on the guideway H, the said clamping-plate F beingpreferably mounted to slide on the slide G to adjust the clamping-plateF to loaves of different lengths, said clampingplate being secured inplace after the desired adjustment is made by a suitable clampinglever Fas plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The slides G and G are rigidlyconnected with each other by a toothed bar I, forming part of theintermittent feed, to move the clamping-plates Fand F and the loafcarried thereby longitudinally for the knife D to cut slices from theloaf. The toothed bar I is engaged by a springpressed pawl J, held onthe forward end of a link J, mounted to slide nearits forward end in asuitable bearing J carried by the guideway H. The rear end of the link Jis pivotally connected with a lever K, fulcrnmed at K on the table A andhaving an arm K adapted to be engaged by a cam L, secured on the shaft 0or on the hand-wheel E to impart a rocking motion to the lever K at thetime the shaft O is rotated, the rocking motion of the lever K causingthe link J and pawl J to impart an intermittent forward sliding motionto the toothed bar I, the slides G G, and the clamping-plates F F,carrying the loaf. The relation between the knife D and the intermittentfeed is such that during the time the feed is'at rest the knife cuts theloaf and during the time the knife is out of engagement with the loafthe feed is active to feed the loaf forward the desired distancecorresponding to the thickness of the slice to be cut from the loaf.

In order to regulate the thickness of the slices, the following deviceis provided: Through the lever K extends longitudinally a rod N, fixedon a bracket N, carried by the table A, and on the outer end of the rodN screws a nut N against which the outer face of the lever Kis pressedby the action of a spring N coiled on the rod N between the bracket Nand the lever K. By screwing up the nut N the lever K is caused to swingforward, so that the arm -K is'engaged for a shorter period by the camL, and consequently the lever K receives less throw and a consequentless forward movement is given to the toothed bar I, the slides G G, theclampingplates F F, and the loaf held thereon, so that the next slicecut from the loaf is of a less thickness. Then the nut N is screwedoutwardly, more throw is given to the lever K .and the loaf is fedforward a longer distance,

so that the next slices out are comparatively thicker. The loaf duringits forward movement travels between a fixed rod 0 and the peripheralsurface of a roller P, journaled at the upper end of a stud P, attachedto an arm P fulcrumed on the under side of the table A and pressed on bya spring P to hold the roller P in frictional contact with one side ofthe loaf. The loaf during this forward movement is also engaged by theupper cutting edges of angular knives Q and Q, extending upwardlythrough openings in the table A adjacent to the rod 0 and roller P, sothat the loaf is trimmed during its forward movement. The knives Q and Qare held adjustably in keepers Q and Q of which the keeper Q is securedto the under side of the table A and the keeper Q is secured to or formspart of the spring-pressed arm P previously mentioned. Thus by thearrangement described the trimmer-knife Q adjusts itself with the rollerP to loaves of different thicknesses. The trimmer-knives Q and Q can beadjusted longitudinally by suitable set-screws Q held on the keepers, asplainly indicated in Fig. 2. hen the machine is in operation and theloaf is intermittently fed forward, as described, and the slices are cutoff by the knife D, the trimmer-knives Q and Q trim the sides of theloaf, so that the slices are not only of a uniform thickness, but are ofapproximately the same shape.

In order to prevent accidental'return movement of the toothed bar I andthe parts connected therewith, I provide a spring-pressed dog I,engaging the toothed bar and fulcrumed on a bracket 1 carried by theguideway H.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the knife D has an angular cuttingedge and is mounted to reciprocate vertically in a suitable guideway Dcarried by the table A, and the said knife receives a reciprocatingmotion from a shaft 0, driven by a hand wheel or pulley, the same as theshaft 0, above described. On the shaft 0 is secured a crank-arm 0connected by a pitman O with the knife D, so that when the shaft 0 isrotated the knife is caused to reciprocate to cut the loaf fed forwardover the table under the knife, the out being a draw out, the same asthe one made by the knife D. The shaft 0 drives a shaft R by means ofsprocket-wheels S S anda sprocketchain S, and the said shaft R isconnected by bevel gear-wheels T and T with a shaft T extendingtransversely on the under side of the table A and journaled in suitablebearings carried by the table. On this shaft T are held rotarytrimmer-knives Q and Q of which the rotary knife Q is secured on theshaft T and the knife Q is mounted to turn with the shaft and to slidethereon to adjust the knife Q to different widths of loaves. Forimparting a sliding motion to the knife Q on the shaft T a fork P isprovided, held on a spring-pressed arm P carrying the stud P of a rollerP similar to the roller P, previously mentioned. It is evident that whenthe shaft 0 is rotated a rotary motion is transmitted to the shafts Rand T so that the trimmer-knives Q and Q are revolved to trim the sidesof the loaf as the latter is fed forward over the tableAby the feedmechanism above described, and shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A bread-cutting machine, comprising a revolubleshaft, a knife connected with the shaft for cutting a loaf into slices,a clamping device for holding the loaf, an intermittent feed for thesaid clamping device and controlled from the said shaft, andtrimmerknives for trimming the sides of the loaf as the latter is fedforward, as set forth.

2. A bread-cutting machine, comprising a revoluble shaft, a knifeconnected with the shaft for cutting a loaf into slices, a clampingdevice for holding the loaf, an intermittent feed for the said clampingdevice and controlled from the said shaft, and trimmerknives fortrimming the sides of the loaf as the latter is fed forward, one of thesaid knives being spring-pressed and movable toward and from the otherknife, as set forth.

3. A bread-cutting machine, comprising a revoluble shaft, a knifeconnected with the shaft for cutting a loaf into slices, a clampingdevice for holding the loaf, an intermittent feed for the said clampingdevice and controlled from the said shaft, trimmer-knives for trimmingthe sides of the loaf as the latter is fed forward, and a rollerengaging one side of the loaf and a rod engaging the other side of theloaf, as set forth.

4. A bread-cutting machine, comprising a revoluble knife arranged formaking a draw out on a loaf, a clamp for engaging and sup porting theloaf, an intermittent feed for the said clamp, and a trimmer fortrimming the sides of the loaf during the forward movement of the clampand loaf, as set forth.

5. A bread-cutting machine, comprising a knife for cutting a loaf intoslices, a clamping device for holding the loaf, the said clam pingdevice comprising connected slides, a guideway for the slides, andclamping-plates carried by said slides, one of said clampingplates beingadjustable, a feed mechanism for the clamping device, and trimmer-knivesfor trimming the sides of the loaf, as set forth.

6. A bread-cutting machine, comprising a table, a shaft mounted to turnin bearings carried by the table, a knife connected with the shaft forcuttinga loaf into slices, a clamping device for clamping the loaf, alever mounted to rock, connections between the said lever and theclamping device for imparting an intermittent feed to the latter, a camon the shaft and adapted to engage an arm on the lever to impart arocking motion to the lever, a bracket carried by the table, a rod onsaid bracket and extending through the lever, a nut screwing on the freeend of the rod, and a coiled spring on the rod between the bracket andthe lever, as set forth.

7. A bread-cutting machine, comprising a knife for cutting a loaf intoslices, a clamping device for holding the loaf, a feed mechanism for theclamping device, a fixed rod engaging one side of the leaf, and a rollerjonrnaled on a spring-pressed arm and engaging the other side of theloaf, as set forth.

8. A bread-cutting machine, comprising a knife for cutting a loaf intoslices, a clamping device for holding the loaf, an intermittent feed forthe said clamping device, means for engaging the opposite sides of theloaf, and trimmer-knives for trimming the sides of the leaf as thelatter is fed forward.

9. In a bread-cutting machine, a clamping device foraloaf comprisingclamping-plates, and slides carrying the same,one ofsaid clamping-platesbeing adjustable on the slide, a toothed bar connecting the slides, apawl engaging the toothed bar, a link carrying said pawl, a leverconnected with the link and means for engaging the lever to impartarocking motion thereto, as set forth.

10. In a bread-cutting machine, a revoluble shaft, a knife connectedwith the shaft for cutting a loaf into slices, a clamping device forholding the loaf, alever mounted-to rock, connections between the saidlever and the clamping device for imparting an intermittent feed to theclamping device, a fixed rod extending through the lever, a nut screwingon the outer or free end of said rod, a spring for holding the lever incontact with said nut, and means for rocking the lever from said shaft,as set forth.

11. A bread-cutting machine, comprising a table, alongitudinally-extending guideway carried by the table, a clampingdevice for the loaf, and mounted to slide on the guideway, a revolubleshaft, a knife connected with the shaft for cutting the loaf intoslices, trimmer-knives for trimming the edges of the loaf a levermounted to rock, connections between the said lever and the clampingdevice for imparting an intermittent feed to the clamping device, meansfor imparting a rocking motion to the lever from the said shaft, andmeans for regulating the throw of the lever, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES J. VANN.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. Hosrnn, EVERARD B. MARSHALL,

